A life with asthma can be very challenging, but if you find ways to manage the asthma, you can find ways to lead a healthy, active life. There are a lot of ways you can prevent your asthma from having any interference in your life. Read on to find some helpful tips and techniques to take back your life despite the diagnosis of asthma!
Can you identify the exact type of asthma you’re dealing with? Learning about your type of asthma will help you manage its impact on your life. For example, if your asthma is brought on by bronchitis, you should keep your rescue inhaler with you during times when you are sick. You can actually start preventing asthma attacks if you are aware and mindful of any patterns that your symptoms present.
Avoid being around any known asthma triggers. Some people have allergies that cause asthma, and allergens such as dust and pollen can cause an attack. For others, it may be linked to physical exertion. You should know what causes asthma, so you can stay away from these things.
Always be very mindful of the type of medications you’re taking. Some meds out there might just trigger an asthma attack. Aspirin along with other NSAIDs can have this effect. You should also pay attention to heart medications you may take, or ones that treat abnormal blood pressure. It is important to talk openly with your doctor about your asthma so that you do not take any medications that could be harmful to you.
Having a fast acting inhaler is vital to save asthmatics from experiencing severe symptoms. Talk to your physician and find out if a leukotriene inhibitor would be right for you. A leukotriene inhibitor stops the release of a chemical that causes the inflammation that is responsible for some asthma attacks. A leukotriene will cause inflammation in the respiratory system, causing an asthma attack. Taking an inhibitor will reduce the amount of this substance your body produces, which should decrease the number of attacks you experience.
Asthma is ongoing. Therefore, it also requires continual management of your health. Ensure you’re taking the proper medications to manage common symptoms of asthma. In case of an attack, you need to have in your possession a medication that will provide almost instant relief. Find out from your allergist and your doctor what is best for you.
A dehumidifier is a beneficial investment for anyone with asthma. Lowering the level of humidity present in your home can reduce the numbers of dust mites, a prime trigger of asthma. Dehumidifiers cause the air in your home to become dry, which means less humidity.
If you are a person with asthma and have persistent attacks related to allergy symptoms, a medication that can be used for a long term effect is one that can be injected. Known as Omalizumab, this antibody medicine can control the body’s allergic senses and lower the symptoms or reactions that asthma patients suffer.
Cleaning Products
If you suffer from asthma and you are not eligible for health insurance, speak with a social worker. It is crucial that you be able to pay for your asthma medications, and a social worker might be able to locate a hospital or clinic for you that offers medications at a much cheaper price.
Studies show that using a variety of cleaning products in the home can actually increase the odds of triggering an asthma attack. Consider purchasing and using organic cleaning products since they are void of irritating chemicals.
Make sure you get a flu shot once a year if you suffer from asthma. Prevent those flu infections before they happen by getting a flu shot each year.
Go to your regular medical check-ups, even if your condition seems under control. Medical science is constantly evolving, so the doctor might know about a new treatment for you. Besides, you can never be sure when another attack might come on, so it’s better to be checked out.
Realize what triggers your attacks, and you can avoid or manage these situations. A lot of people who suffer from asthma have the same triggers, pet dander, smoke, or pollen. Whenever you can, just steer clear of these triggers when you know what they would result in.
Although it is wise to use your inhaler as needed, be aware that the medication itself may cause problems with gums and teeth. To avoid those complications, be sure to brush teeth, gargle, and rinse mouth completely right after you have used the inhaler.
Sleep with a feather-less pillow if you have asthma. The feathers can make it harder to breathe right and trigger an attack. It is also advisable to use hypoallergenic sheets and comforters for the same reason.
Make note of how often, on a weekly basis, you use your inhaler. If you use it very often, you may not have it under control. You are able to judge how the environment around you effects your body by how many times you need to use your inhaler.
If you are on the road, be certain to travel with your inhaler at all hours. When you travel, you sometimes strain your body a little more than you think, which can make you a bit more susceptible to having asthma attacks. You also have little control over your environment when traveling, which can make you more susceptible to an attack and symptoms of greater severity.
When you are making an effort to control asthma, do not smoke. Sometimes smoke can cause an asthma attack. The fumes from chemicals, or smoke from cigarettes, should be avoided at all costs. All of these air-borne pollutants can greatly increase your asthma symptoms. If you are being exposed to things that may irritate your asthma, remove yourself from the situation as quickly as possible.
Even if you are feeling great, never skip your regular asthma checkup. You cannot be certain when you will next have an issue with your asthma, or when there may be a better medication available to utilize for your condition.
For those struggling with their asthma, avoiding regular contact with pets is important to control symptoms. An allergy to an animal will worsen asthma symptoms, and an animal can carry enough dust or pollen to trigger an attack.
When you are removing dust or crumbs from your floor, you should use a vacuum or damp mop to avoid scattering dust in the air. An asthma attack is one possible outcome of a sweeping session that fills the air around you with allergens and dust. Dust will adhere to a wet towel instead of being loose in the air like feather dusters do where it can aggravate your asthma.
During times that pollen counts are high, asthma sufferers should try to stay indoors. Asthma is in no way an allergy, but a lot of the same burdens that bother allergy suffers also affect people who suffer from asthma. Air quality levels for specific pollutants are now readily available and it is possible to use this information to limit exposure on high level days.
Smoke should always be avoided when you suffer from asthma. Smoke and chemicals have been known to trigger asthma attacks. So do whatever you can to stay away from vapors, chemical fumes and smoke from cigarettes. All of these air-borne pollutants can greatly increase your asthma symptoms. Politely request that smokers abstain from smoking in your presence.
Make sure you schedule regular checkups with your doctor every few months to keep a heads up on your asthmatic condition. Your doctor should be recording your current state as a benchmark, and making necessary changes to improve your situation if needed. It is up to you to schedule these visits with the doctor so he or she can monitor your progress, and work to keep you healthy.
Contact with animals and pets should be avoided for asthma sufferers. Asthmatics can be affected by the dander or pollen that comes from the animals, even if they have no allergies to them. This can be a very risky situation to put yourself in and should be avoided.
If repainting a room is in your future, purchase a quality mask first to protect your lungs from paint fumes. Paint chemicals are a powerful irritant that can cause an asthma attack if inhaled without a mask. Avoid chemicals, substances and scents that aggravate your asthma.
During times that pollen counts are high, asthma sufferers should try to stay indoors. While asthma and allergies are separate illnesses, you’ll find that the triggers for one tend to be mirrored in the other. The air quality information should be used to find out when it is better to stay indoors to avoid irritants present in the air.
Going to an asthma support group or just talking to people who also have asthma can really help out. By talking to fellow sufferers, you will learn more about asthma and what you should do in case of an attack. Being with supportive people will give you the motivation to take control.
If you have asthma and allergies and use a humidifier, make sure it is thoroughly cleaned as often as necessary. Bacteria breeds in moist environments and can build up in dirty machines, pumping allergens into the air.
Vitamin B6
Remain calm in the event of an asthma attack. Use your rescue inhaler, rest for a half to one minute, then use the inhaler again. Seek help if your attack gets worse. Ask someone to drive you to the closest hospital or call an ambulance. You can slow your breathing by placing a paper bag over your mouth and nose to slow your breathing until you get medical attention.
Vitamin B6 intake should be increased in order to help control asthma. Pyridoxine or vitamin B6 has been demonstrated to reduce the number of asthma attacks in various studies. Pyridoxine is crucial in making molecules, which can relax bronchial tissue. Bananas are a great-tasting source of vitamin B6.
If you’ve been diagnosed with asthma, it is crucial that you understand how to properly use your inhaler. Spraying it into your mouth and then inhaling doesn’t work. Every time you use your inhaler, be sure to breathe deeply and slowly. If you have asthma, there’s no way around it: you need to get familiar with the right method of using your inhaler.
Possible sources that cause asthma include a either genes, environmental aspects or a mix of the two. If you have a family history of asthma, be especially attentive when asthma like symptoms manifest in another family member. You should try to prevent yourself and your children from being exposed to potentially hazardous environmental elements that can trigger asthma attacks, such as smoke, pollution, dust and mold spores.
Always use an appropriately-designed mask when painting to guard against breathing paint fumes. Paint can irritate asthma a great deal, so a mask will create a protective shield to combat this issue. Avoid chemicals, substances and scents that aggravate your asthma.
Keep a close watch on your allergy attacks and switch up your medication when experiencing several attacks per week. Asthma attacks are often preventable; there is no reason for anyone to have more than one attack per week, if any. These attacks can be fatal, so you want to reduce them as much as possible.
One thing that you must do is figure out what triggers your asthma attacks. Think about maintaining a journal or diary that you can review for recurring situations that led to an attack. These situations can help you detect your triggers. You can then pass this information on to your doctor. Once identified, do everything you can to avoid triggers and eliminate them from your environment whenever possible.
As you have seen in the above article, there are various solutions you can use to control or even stop asthma’s interference in your life. Having asthma does not automatically prevent you from enjoying your life. When you monitor and treat your condition properly, you can live a great life.
Genetics and/or environmental factors can cause asthma. If a loved one in your household suffers from asthma, be mindful of any signs in others. Asthma can also be caused by repeated exposure to certain air quality problems, such as pollen, dust, mold, smoke and pollution. Stay away from such environmental contaminants and keep your children away from them, too.